Inflammation of a diverticulum, especially of the small pockets in the wall of the colon which fill with stagnant fecal material and become inflamed; rarely, they may cause obstruction, perforation, or bleeding.
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di·ver·tic·u·li·tis -'līt-əs n inflammation or infection of a diverticulum of the colon that is marked by abdominal pain or tenderness often accompanied by fever, chills, and cramping
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n.
inflammation of a diverticulum, most commonly of one or more colonic diverticula. This type of diverticulitis is caused by infection and causes lower abdominal pain with diarrhoea or constipation; it may lead to abscess formation, which often requires surgical drainage. A Meckel's diverticulum sometimes becomes inflamed due to infection, causing symptoms similar to appendicitis. Diverticula elsewhere in the alimentary tract are not subject to diverticulitis. Compare diverticular disease.
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di·ver·tic·u·li·tis (di″vər-tik″u-liґtis) inflammation of a diverticulum, especially inflammation related to colonic diverticula, which may undergo perforation with abscess formation. Sometimes called left-sided appendicitis.Medical dictionary. 2011.